The Affordable Care Act is starting to take effect and, as a result, many hospitals are restructuring their programs to ensure better quality care and reduced readmission rates. Those with excessive cases of readmission are now considering what that means for their patients’ health, and to achieve the goals of longer-lasting health and fewer recurring issues, are adjusting their plans accordingly. What does that mean for healthcare professionals? In order to implement these changes, many healthcare facilities are now developing and implementing new care management plans and programs. In some cases, this means hiring more Care Managers and Coordinators to help patient transition from pre-visit to hospitalization to post-discharge run more smoothly.

Such programs ensure that patients are not only cared for during their stay, but prepared prior to their visit and briefed on the best ways to maintain their health and properly take their medication post-discharge, thus preventing long-term health issues that can result in rehospitalization and poor quality of life. Care Coordinators can prepare patients before their visits, assess their risk of rehospitalization, plan their discharge, and follow up with them on all aspects of their health. Then, Care Managers can provide services within the hospital to make the patient’s stay comfortable and informative.

If you’re looking for the next step in your healthcare career, this can be a fantastic opportunity for you. “We are seeing an uptick in demand with our clients for Care Management professionals, especially after the implementation of healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act,” says Amanda Bleakney, Managing Director of The Execu|Search Group’s Healthcare division. “Strong clinicians with knowledge of insurance, reimbursements, and care planning are being sought by both healthcare organizations and patients to help navigate their healthcare. Taking the step into Care Management gives you the rewarding opportunity to help patients through these processes at the times when they need the most guidance.”

There are a number of ways to better qualify yourself for such positions if you plan to take this route. Care Managers and Coordinators are healthcare professionals who generally have knowledge of insurance, reimbursements, and care planning, so familiarizing yourself with such things could be helpful.  Likewise, fully understanding how the Affordable Care Act affects hospital admissions and readmissions is vital, as the primary roles of the Care Managers and Coordinators are to increase overall patient health and prevent rehospitalization fees by keeping patients monitored, better informed, and on track.

There are also Care Management certifications available that prove your skills and competencies in the care management field. If you’re bi- or multilingual, you already have a head start, as many professionals in care management are often preferred to have such language skills. However, even without these qualifications, a dedicated RN with the right experience and knowledge base can become a wonderful care professional.